viii, [1], 10-166, [4] pages, [52] leaves of plates : 30 cm (4to)

Engraved title page

The Smithsonian Libraries copy is tentatively identified as the 2nd edition, 1st issue, matching the bibliographical details of Lisney's description (number 242), but was previously cataloged as the 2nd edition, 2nd issue, with pencilled note on book flag stating that the 1786 French title leaf was wanting. Since the binding is not contemporary, and there may be traces of a missing preliminary leaf, the identification of this particular issue remains somewhat uncertain

"Made-up copies of the Exposition occur far more frequently than ideal copies" --Lisney, page 171

All illustrations are hand-colored, except the plate with the anatomical diagrams which is uncolored

The frontispiece shows a variety of creatures approaching a statue of a goddess (probably Ceres) in a wooded landscape

This issue lacks the color wheel chart mentioned on the title page that was published in the 1st edition; the written description of colors occurs on pages iv-viii of the preface

Signatures: [A]¹ B-2T² 2U² [chi]1

"The text sheets were reissued in 1781; the 1782 edition is reset"--English short title catalogue

This 1782 edition was subsequently reissued by B. White and J. Edwards in 1786. That re-issue has the addition of a letterpress title page in French, with title: Exposition des insectes que se trouvent en Angleterre ..

Includes index

extracted picklist 20081216

digitized BHLDP 20170719

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